₦airaland Forum

Dear Loyolans, It grieves my heart when I read about the praises being heaped on Mr S.O. Ayangbayi. I was a student of this once Great School from 1975 to 1980. During this period this Mr Ayangbayi that you describe so affectionately was a House Master and the Physics Tutor, and he ruled like a demonic tyrant! I don't say this lightly. This man that you describe as "Humble" and "Intelligent was nothing short of the Devil's own.

Thank God for his infinite Grace & Mercy, Mr Ayangbayi who must now be in his 70's may have changed from the terror and bully he once was. Without going into much detail, this man once whipped me with a koboko which was then his favorite disciplinary tool. He tore my skin in several places and there were welts all over my arms. The worst part of all of this is that BEFORE GOD ALMIGHTY & MAN, I was not guilty of any misconduct whatsoever. It was all a misunderstanding which to this day was never resolved. I was 15 years old and in Year 5 at the time. My dad confronted him later that evening and Mr Ayangbayi blatantly lied in my presence accusing me of Truancy among other things. Believe you me, I do not like to ponder over this incident which occurred 30yrs ago! It fills me with such anger and rage, I still feel like crying but the tears don't come. Despite my protest my father chose to take his side and made me prostrate and apologise to Mr Ayangbayi who duly accepted and grinned and joked with my old man. Had my mum been present at that meeting, the scenario would have gone down differently.

Believe you me I have tried in my heart to forgive him but I struggle with this, the fact is that I was really traumatised by the whole experience. My parents were never ever violent or physical towards their children in this manner, and generally we were quite well behaved, disciplined and respectful.

I won't bore much longer with this out-pouring of grief, suffice to say that I wasn't the only one in the school that suffered this form of brutality from this man. Many others did as well. It was as if he took pleasure in meting out this form of discipline to any errant pupil that crossed his path. In fact it was as if he went actively seeking out students to discipline to satisfy his thirst for brutality.

If he has changed then Grace be to God, it may be that he saw the error of his ways or it could be that old age has mellowed him. In fact I was shocked a few years ago when I learnt that he had been installed as the principal of my beloved Alma mater. You cannot compare him to Father Kennedy (of blessed memory) or Rev. GB Daramola who was the Vice Principal whilst I was there.

I guess the man owes many of us a sincere apology. If it were here in the UK I would have been seeking damages.

Up Loyo! I would appreciate your comments. Perhaps this revelation will come as a shock to many of you then again many of the older Loyolans know what I'm talking about. There are also other rumours about his personal life during that era of which this is neither the place nor time to delve into such matters. "If he is still the demon that he was back then in the late 70's then his sins will surely catch up with him.

God bless you all.


Regards,